Soul singer Bobby Womack has been diagnosed with cancer of the colon, according to his close friend Bootsy Collins.

Collins, who played bass for both James Brown and Parliament, tweeted yesterday (March 25) that he had spoken to Womack and that the singer had told him he was undergoing treatment for the illness.

He wrote on Twitter.com/Bootsy_Collins: “I just spoke to our friend Bobby Womack. He wanted you all to know that he loves you and thanks for the prayers. Doctor says he is in the first stage of colon cancer, he is very upbeat about his future, we laughed & joked before we hung up. Thanks funkateers, we will get him back on the one!”

Collins had previously tweeted that Womack had initially been hospitalised with pneumonia and was then diagnosed with cancer of the colon.

Bobby Womack’s brand new album, ‘The Bravest Man In The Universe’, is set for release on June 11.

Co-produced by Blur‘s Damon Albarn and XL Recordings’ Richard Russell, the album was recorded late last year in Albarn’s own Studio 13 in West London and also in New York.

The album is soul singer Womack’s first LP of original material in 18 years, following 1994’s ‘Resurrection’. The album will be released on the XL label, also home to Adele and The xx.